E-cigarettes, commonly known as vapes, are very popular in the UK.

A recent survey from campaign group ASH found that in 2024, an all-time high of 11% of British adults reported using e-cigarettes. It also found high levels of underage vaping, with 7.6% of 11-17-year-olds regularly using vapes. Nearly a fifth (18.4%) of this age group had tried an e-cigarette.

While e-cigarettes are generally considered to be less harmful than tobacco products, they can pose health risks, and the previous government had drawn up plans to ban the sale of disposable vapes. But what is the current UK vape regulation, and are vapes being banned in the UK?

Find out what you need to know in this article.

Vapes or e-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that people use to inhale an aerosol. This will often contain nicotine (although some do not), as well as flavourings and other chemicals.

They were developed as an aid for people who wanted to quit smoking – the first modern e-cigarette was created by Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik in 2001 after his father died from smoking-related lung cancer.

They are still used as an alternative to smoking tobacco products but are also now frequently used by people who have never smoked or in addition to tobacco cigarettes. Some of the reasons for their popularity are that they are seen as healthier and are cheaper than cigarettes. They come in a variety of flavours, and a whole vaping culture has grown up around e-cigarettes.

Current UK Laws and Regulations Surrounding Vaping

It is illegal to sell vaping products to under-18s in the UK. There are also restrictions on where you can vape, such as enclosed spaces in the workplace and on public transport.

There are also a number of regulations on the production and sale of vaping products, including:

  • E-cigarette tanks should have a capacity of no more than 2ml.
  • Nicotine-containing e-liquid for sale in one refill container is restricted to 10ml.
  • E-liquids should have a nicotine strength of no more than 20mg/ml.
  • Certain ingredients such as colourings, caffeine and taurine are banned.

Are Vapes Being Banned in the UK?

In short – yes.

The former government had introduced a bill that would have banned smoking for people who were under 18 at the time, and that would have seen the legal age for buying cigarettes rise each year – essentially meaning that people born in or after 2009 would never be able to buy cigarettes legally. The bill was intended to create a “smoke-free generation”.

Alongside this was a proposed ban on disposable vapes, although adults wanting to quit smoking would still be able to use refillable vapes. The government at the time said that around 69% of vapers aged 11 to 17 were using disposable vapes. The ban was intended to address “unknown long-term health impacts and the addictive nature of the nicotine in vapes”.

When Could a UK Vape Ban Happen?

The Conservative government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill would have introduced new laws by 2025, but it failed to make it through before Parliament was dissolved for the general election. Ahead of the election, Kier Starmer said: “I support the banning of disposable vapes, not least because of the impact they have on children.”

The Labour Party’s manifesto did not include an outright vape ban in the UK. The new Tobacco and Vapes Bill will contain the same progressive smoking ban to gradually end the sale of tobacco products across the UK.

The government also said it would “stop vapes and other consumer nicotine products…from being deliberately branded and advertised to appeal to children, meaning they are only available as a tool to help smokers quit”.

It added: “The bill would provide ministers with powers to regulate the flavours, packaging, and display of vapes and other nicotine products.”

This is considerably less than an outright ban, but there are some indications that the new bill could not be changed. There have been reports that it could contain a ban on smoking in beer gardens and other outdoor spaces and, more recently, that a complete ban on disposable vapes could be reintroduced.

A government source told The Telegraph: “Ministers are currently reviewing options on whether we want to progress a ban on disposable vapes.” Any such plans have yet to be confirmed, however, and it’s not clear what the timeline would be if a ban were to be introduced. The original Conservative bill would have introduced changes by April 2025, and this could still be the case under Labour.

Would a Vape Ban Impact Smokers and Vapers?

The smoking bills of both the Conservative and Labour governments include a progressive smoking ban so that people born in 2009 or later will never legally be able to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products. Other restrictions may also be imposed so that smoking in public outdoor areas such as pub gardens will be banned.

If a vaping ban is introduced, it seems likely to only apply to single-use or disposable vapes, as these are the ones most commonly used by underage vapers. It’s worth noting that neither the Conservative nor Labour plans included a complete ban on vaping – with adults still able to use refillable e-cigarettes.

Alternatives to Vaping if the Ban is Implemented

Some e-cigarette manufacturers and lobby groups fear that other vaping products may be banned in the future. For now though, any proposed ban looks to target single-use devices only and the NHS still considers vaping a safer alternative to smoking.

There are other alternatives, though, including nicotine replacement therapy such as patches, sprays or gum, and the ‘stop-smoking’ tablets bupropion (Zyban). These may be available through the NHS as part of a smoking-cessation programme, where e-cigarettes are not. Counselling, group sessions and even rehab can also be good alternatives if you want to quit smoking.

John Gillen - Director at Ocean Recovery

John Gillen - Author - Last updated: September 13, 2024

John is one UK’s leading professionals in the addiction recovery industry. Pioneering new treatment techniques such as NAD+ and ongoing research into new therapy techniques such as systematic laser therapy, John is committed to providing the very best treatment for people throughout the UK and Europe. During his extremely busy schedule, John likes to regularly update our blog section with the latest news and trends in the industry to keep visitors to our site as well informed as possible on everything related to addiction treatment.